I am a Christian, but I have never enjoyed a series as much as this ever,!
I learnt so much about the spirit and traditions of the Islamic faith and was amazed at how passionate Muslims are about their faith in God. If only the world today had a leader like Ertugrul. I was struck by his determination that all people no matter their beliefs would live in a just political system together. I had lost faith in God..but this series has brought me back to my God. Thank you....Ertugrul the series..
685 Reviews
Best female character I've ever seen
talharizvi24 November 2018
As a man, I love this series for the adventure and fighting and great plot. Not to forget the great costumes - extremely well done.
However, the biggest surprise I had was falling in love with Mother Hayme, the mother of the lead character and matriarch of the tribe.
I can easily say I have never seen a role of a strong, traditional motherly figure portrayed this well in any film or TV series. She is a strong figure that forms the backbone of her tribe - honoring her husband's lead role, but never afraid to point him in the right direction if he makes a mistake. Any time he is absent, she takes control and makes sure the tribe has sound leadership. Not to mention how she guides her sons through their difficulties and fights. Solid acting and all around great character!
Oh and Ertugrul is pretty cool too! ;)
However, the biggest surprise I had was falling in love with Mother Hayme, the mother of the lead character and matriarch of the tribe.
I can easily say I have never seen a role of a strong, traditional motherly figure portrayed this well in any film or TV series. She is a strong figure that forms the backbone of her tribe - honoring her husband's lead role, but never afraid to point him in the right direction if he makes a mistake. Any time he is absent, she takes control and makes sure the tribe has sound leadership. Not to mention how she guides her sons through their difficulties and fights. Solid acting and all around great character!
Oh and Ertugrul is pretty cool too! ;)
Worth watching!
Znukkas4 August 2019
This is series worth watching. The storyline is excellent, every episode end in a cliffhanger making you watch the next, again and again and again. The only reason I did not give it 10 stars is the english subscripts that is not good, a lot of spelling and grammatical errors, but despite this, you can follow the series easily. What I enjoyed, was to see a world portrayed from the Muslim side. As a Christian it made me think that we should rather look at the similarities between the Christian believe and the Muslim believe, than the differences, and start from there. The underlying values seems to be very much the same. It is a long series, but definitely worth watching.
TV series about justice.
phlimran28 August 2019
History Made Personal
Richie-67-48585212 May 2017
Most excellent entertainment offering a wide range of pleasures for the viewer to partake in. History, adventure, love, intrigue, drama, costumes, suspense, betrayal, life, death, with very well captured living styles for back then from herding animals to making clothing and goods, weapons and their daily diet too. Interaction on a grand scale not only with their fellow tribesman but with all cultures and peoples friendly or not is realistically acted out with the end result being that the viewer is captured and held from episode to episode. Have you ever watched something so good that you wished it wouldn't end? How about you wanted more and there was none? Relax here completely for there are so many continuing sagas that have so much going on that one not only gets lost in them but if you let go entirely, you forget its being acted and directed out and have no trouble that this live history as it was and is. What greater entertainment is that? You will take a side of your choosing with the different actors and characters and learn to love and hate with them and one thing this movie dishes up well is suspense and not far behind is the second best thing they do which is to allow you to see those that have it coming get their comeuppance. In fact you cant wait but it comes in due time thus the viewer remains ready for the hook and that hook comes with satisfaction and closure. But wait, another injustice goes down and the whole tug on your emotions begins again. Well done to all actors in this movie. They wore their hearts on their sleeves and gave all they had making it extra-ordinary and exceptional. Notice too the beautiful horses of all colors and how well they perform awe natural. What they didn't spend in lavish backgrounds, thousands of extras and set pieces they more than made up for in story telling and allowing the viewer to travel along without effort. Highly recommend eating during some of these episodes as they eat meat, bread, feta cheese, porridge's, rich fresh milk and dried fruits. Have more than one snack standing by as well with a tasty drink. Great movie for sunflower seeds or pistachio nuts. Do you want to know what it was like back then and there? Start watching and prepare to be unprepared for this is not your casual viewing experience but a more intimate one. Added bonus? I learned a little Arabic and quite bit about early Islam and its practices. These people loved God and included him in everything. Humility abounds! Enjoy!
Sublime Ertugrul
nieyaaz28 July 2019
Legend.
infernotaunt25 July 2019
This is a story which removes the negative stereotype that is associated with Islam in current society, and shows the history of it's proud Ghazi and Beys. A story based on the father of the man who founded the Ottoman empire, created to give insight in the culturally diverse past often ignored. A tale which can be used to inspire many of all beliefs and learn the meaning of what it means to live.
TGOT!!!
istby3 July 2019
Admittedly I was saddened when Game Of Thrones ended. The adrenaline rush was crazy! This show was recommended to me by Netflix. I figured I'd give it a shot. So glad I did!! This show is GREAT!! My Turkish Game Of Thrones!! I am hooked on the storylines and character development. It has it all...treachery, deceit, sword play!! But it also has hope, love and faith. I am emotionally involved!! I am happy when the characters are happy, and sad when they are sad....(It's made me cry!!) I am on season 2 and I know I will be extremely satisfied, emotionally exhausted and sad when it's over.... Love, love ...love.
Excellent
capablancacourage27 May 2017
I haven't watched the entire series yet but what I have seen so far is nothing short of excellent.
Brilliant acting and an intriguing storyline.
It is slow moving so I had to skip some scenes and sections but if you have ample time you could easily watch it all without getting bored.
Brilliant acting and an intriguing storyline.
It is slow moving so I had to skip some scenes and sections but if you have ample time you could easily watch it all without getting bored.
10. Could not pull away from the beginning!
nancyepeek11 June 2017
I have seen many series and movies but this was by far the greatest acting, fighting scenes, love stories and the love of their religion put me to shame with my own. I am more determined to speak to my God and let others see him through me! I am thrilled at seeing a Turkish film of their history and everyday life then and I am sure now. Thank you for producing this and thank you Netflix for airing this fine historical series. I hope to see more from Turkey and help me to understand and learn their culture.
Same oh same oh
paulfwalters24 December 2021
The show started out great. However, the dragging on of the same old thing over and over again, it was easy to figure out what was going to happen, before it happened. The writer/director really lost it in roughly the last 80 to 100 shows.
Totally amazing series that pulled me in from the very first episode!
Katy10429 February 2021
First let me start by telling readers that I have never written a review for a movie or series. Second, let me say this... I'm a Texan all my life- lived in the country growing up - and the city during my adult life. I never knew much about Muslims or their faith, and to tell you the truth - I never cared to know. Third, I have never watched a foreign movie- and friends/family thought I was crazy for having to read everything that was said by each character.
I don't even know how I ended up watching this except for one day I was board and starting looking at previews. I watched the preview and went straight to season 1, episode 1. Once it started ... I was hooked!!! I couldn't stop watching it. I watched it every chance I could get. That's all I thought about was trying to get home so I could watch the next episode. I binged watched most every night and sometimes it was filled with so much drama and excitement that I couldn't turn it off and go to sleep. The production, the sword fighting, the music, the drama was action packed every moment. The actors where unbelievably good! One thing that I can definitely say, if most Muslims are like the character and his family in this series- what a loving, caring, religion it is. It shocked me how much their religion played a part of their everyday life. Praying all the time, always trying to follow their religious convictions and "their cause." Everything about the series was just magnificent! From the script, to the characters, to the unbelievable music throughout- it was done by the best of the best! I learned so much about the history of these Turkish people and I know from reading and studying about the making of this series, that they had the best historians and professors that helped put all the information and historical facts together. It is fiction, but most of the history is true. They added story lines to make it like a drama. I almost cried when I realized that season 5 was the last season. I quickly googled to try and see if they would pick back up and continue a season 6 sometime soon. There was talk about doing it but nothing has transpired as of yet. However, the main characters (Ertugrul) youngest son Osman, was made out to be a world power as he got older. They had dreams about how great of a leader he would be and powerful. Apparently they have a spin off of this series which Osman ends up starting the Ottoman Empire as he grows older. It was mentioned that is was not on Netflix yet, but you could see it on YouTube. It was aired recently on Turkish television and was very popular with the viewers. So I googled it and read a lot of history on this leader. Just amazing. And this series is back in the time frame of the 1200- 1400's. Back when their was fierce fighting over land and tribes - as they migrated to find peaceful lands - which didn't seem to ever happen. Just amazing history, and amazing culture and religion. It really did open my eyes and I have a totally different view of this culture now- even though I'm Christian. Please please watch this series. I hope you will be hooked just like I was and continue to watch and learn. Just wish it wouldn't end! Season 5 has 88 episodes... I watched 81-87 last night and this morning and stopped. I just can't bring myself to watch the very last one right now. Lol.
Good Series About Turkish History
ahmetkozan27 March 2016
A very good series about Turkish history. This series was a good production about Ottoman. It made several series on this subject, but none of them reflect reality. Previously there wasn't such series. It was a nice job for Turkey. Unfortunately we are behind other countries. I really take enjoy watching this series. A successful business. This series will come to a better place. I just want to mention one point. I especially love the battle scenes. But bloody scenes too fake. They should show a little more attention to detail. If you pay attention to them this will be a better series. A number of really useful for Turkey. I advise... 7/10
Unecessarily long
cheikhahmed6 February 2021
I liked the serie but the only problem that stopped me from watching it is its length. Season 2 is 100 episodes on netflix and full of unecessary scenes !!
If the length was reduced it would be great, but most people wont watch it because of its length .
Best Show next to Game of Thrones
seymerkevin18 April 2017
Me and my wife really enjoy this show. It reminds us very much of Game of Thrones but without dragons. Good acting, great fighting scenes. The Story is addictive and told in a great way.
This is first Turkish series we have watched as we can not speak Turkish but was recommended to watch by a friend. We will definitely recommend it to others!
This is first Turkish series we have watched as we can not speak Turkish but was recommended to watch by a friend. We will definitely recommend it to others!
Incredible
omarhammouda-0333614 December 2018
Excellent Show with so much History
george-valdivia26 June 2017
My sons and I have been watching this show for a month now. We watch a couple of episodes a night. Being a Roman Catholic and also my love for history this show is excellent. No one was perfect, the Crusaders did was they thought was right, the Mongols and their dreams, but the Turks were fighting for their very existence and a land to settle. This show has everything and Hayme Ana looks so much like my late mother that at times I cannot hold back my tears. Enjoy this wonderful production.
Mustttttt watch
researcher_114 May 2020
Has there anything being made on television history better than this series ? The answer is No.
by far I've never seen anything as beautifully directed, acted & produced than Ertugrul!! Can't stop talking about it. This drama can be easily compared with the top Hollywood series & still I'm sure the level of acting & class will be better than anything ever made. It's a must watch! Especially the fact that it's based on true incidents, just makes it more worthwhile to watch.
One the the best series i have ever seen
jack-6-83942423 October 2017
Dirilis: Ertugrul is one the best TV shows I have ever seen if not the best. once you started you will not be able to stop watching it. I really liked the story line, the script and of course the actors chosen. Every episode is 2 hours, I know it a lot but you will not feel it because of the excitement of it. I highly recommend this TV show.
Halal Version Of Game Of Thrones
ishfarkzaman17 March 2019
This is a must watch... what makes this awesome is the fact that it promotes Unity, compassion, kindness, loyalty and overall a slap in the face of media that tempt to promote the religion of Islam as barbaric. After all it is all fact based on historical events and proves how good hearted Muslim and Christians worked together as one and together were also against terrorists.
Completely blown away
ajk-8513220 June 2017
Watched the first episode purely by chance and betcame addicted to it. Even though Turkish isn't a language I can speak and understand, even faintly, the story line is exceptionally well written and easy to follow. The characters, the script, the acting are all superb - Bravo Team Ertugrul! On Netflix only seasons 1 & 2 are currently available, can't wait till season 3!!!! Keep at it guys - you're doing an exception job!!!
It's nothing special
ghayyasic19 December 2020
Do not deserve 1 star but don't deserve 7.9 rating either.. these ratings are mostly givern by people of pakistan and India who have only watched their saas bahu type trash serials..so it was awesome for them ..but after so much hype..when i watched it , it was nothing
They showed the whole history different,5% facts and others are just made by themselves.. Moreover,action is just so dull...vfx , cgi is poor..acting is also just average.. storyline is just a little better and bigger version of Indian serials and oh yess..it has above 400 episodes..each of 1 hour..and it's not worth it
authentic feeling
adencrane5 May 2017
This series thru Netflix is the longest series I've ever watched..im thru season 1 and into season 2. This is a very Authentic feeling series and the characters really ring true. It is an incredibly talented cast and the sets are lush and believable with no details lacking. Even with subtitles which are often comically misspelled with poor English the show progresses smoothly with surprises all the time. I think it is an excellent interpretation of the true Muslim spirit and portrays Muslim saints and followers with a more realistic feeling that could cut across religious lines and reach a western audience.. The story portrays a Muslim version of the events of the day which is not often found in western cultural history. There is very little CGI that doesn't look real. The bad persons are really bad and the good persons are really good! with some exceptions! The nomadic life of the early Turkish people is portrayed with astounding realism. It can get a bit soapy at times and they really take their time in unfolding the plot so i found my self skimming thru some sections especially in season 2 but even now im not doing that anymore as the plot is very rich with emotional details of the lives of the characters and it does tend to grip the viewer. Having now reached the end of series 2 I have a few more points of criticism as follows:: The subtitles are translations of the Turkish dialect and it is very uneven and looks to be the work of more than one or 2 persons. The translations make the characters appear at times very fanatical and hateful towards non muslims referring them as non muslims and thus deserving of death! This , I believe, to be a mistranslation of the word for atheist or one who does not believe in a higher power. The subtitle non Muslim only appeared a few times in series 2 and thus I believe it was mistake which was corrected later on in the series. I hope that series 3 will provide a better translation for the subtitles..I very much enjoyed the series and I still cant believed I binged watched a 178 episode series over a period of 6 weeks! I hope that there will be a series 3 but even if there isn't it was well worth watching.
It's definitely something different, looks beautiful, but has problems
orgrinrt25 May 2021
NOTE: I feel obligated to mention, that I'm reviewing this show as _entertainment_, as a TV-show, and I'm not commenting on the actual history or characters of history that it portrays. I have little exposure or knowledge about those things so I will not attempt to bring them in. This is based purely on the show, and I regard it as such. I will make a few anecdotal comments about these, but it will be apparent when this is the case.
I'm not completely buying all those 10/10 reviews voted crazily helpful, written by supposedly western reviewers. Influenced partly by those reviews I decided that it might be a good time to finally visit this show, since I had eyed it in the past in intrigue. It's definitely not a straight 10/10 show...
That being said, I'm not even halfway through the first season (these are some long seasons...) and have no intention of stopping as it's certainly interesting. But I had to come and share my thoughts in case someone else from the western sphere is thinking of checking it out and feels equally wary and suspicious of the flood of 10/10 reviews. I will gladly update the score and the review itself if it gets noticeably better (or worse, for that matter).
It's not a bad show at all. The scenery and the props look beautiful, and as for their authenticity in the time period, that I cannot comment. I am not familiar with the history of Middle-East, which is actually precisely one of the reasons why I thought it looked visually so interesting and beautiful -- it's certainly different from the western-centric shows I've been comsuming my entire life.
There's a recurring theme of cheesiness. I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet -- right now everything just feels corny, but the first seasons of any show tend to have that quality to them. Certain shows, like "The Last Kingdom" pull off this style of corny, but most don't make it work at all. There are a couple of sides to it:
Where western-centric historic entertainments seem to traditionally portray the Islamic peoples as the bad guys when there's an arc that has to do with them (usually crusades or something like that), this one doesn't shy away from reversing that dynamic completely and portraying the crusaders as these corny caricatures of evil people that just do evil things, seemingly out of joy or whatever. I find it's appropriate, and completely warranted, and I'm not going to be a hypocrite and act like that is in any way different from what a lot of western productions do. However, I find it equally cheesy when shows like Knightfall do similar things. It's just not really good writing in my opinion, no matter who does the writing. I had kinda hoped that the position of always (well, almost, in recent years there's been a lot of more complex and flattering writing and portrayals) being portrayed with ill intent would've allowed the writers to overcome the trope and be clever about it, but I guess people are the same, no matter where they hail from. And again, I'm not saying it's uncalled for, it definitely is, crusaders were foreign invaders with intent to conquer, kill and plunder, and the material I've read has not painted a very pretty picture about their methods. But it's still boring and dimensionless to watch (although I have to say there are a lot of things that take the focus and make you entertained anyway, but more on them later).
Then on other hand, some of the main (good) characters have so far been nothing short of perfect in terms of skill, mind and morale. Which is a little bland in my opinion. The timing in which some scenarios go down is just downright offensive to someone who's got a little bit accustomed to more complex and forward-looking writing of the recent years. I mean it's not a bad thing per se, it's certainly entertaining to have a classical hero saving the day with his buddies who don't get a scratch and all that, but I guess it feels a little old and musty by now.
I taste a lot of similar flavors here as I did with the "Vikings" show. I'm not sure where those flavors come from, since Vikings actually did a good job of humanizing the opposing forces (and even going as far as openly embracing the "vikings are just plain bad guys" theme!), but I think it has to do with the lead character, and him being charismatic and likable and has an authority and confidence to him. Or maybe it's the way it's filmed and edited, that could be it too. We do get scenes with leaders portraying the other sides of the conflicts, which is kind of similar to what Vikings does. I don't know.
The actor who delivers the lead character is very charismatic and has a very cool air about him. Again, the writers made him cheesily good in all things he does (so far). Also modest and humble... you know, perfect. But on the other hand that does increase the charsima of the character, and the actor does a very good job portraying this. He's a likable character (so far, anyway), and I think the only problem with him is the lackluster fighting choreography (I mean, most of the other actors have very convincing fighting scenes, whereas this dude is kind of laxly strolling around and doesn't have the same weight behind his swings and all that) and the corny writing.
The show shines when we follow this lead dude. It's actually very entertaining and very similar to "The Last Kingdom" that has Uthred, who's almost equally corny honestly. So it's not hindering the show all that much when you put it in perspective.
There's a lot of lovely details that a foreigner like me gets from a show like this. The recurring sayings (often about the islamic faith, but there are some others too) are interesting, even if they feel a little weird and over-the-top to someone who was raised mildly christian and turned atheist by his own accord very early on in life. It seems their god plays a big part in all they do. Which is fine, I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just feels a little weird (partly since I can't judge whether it's faith-backed propaganda or a realistic portrayal of the time).
Also, the clothing, the jewelry, the general visual styles are amazing. It's very different to what I'm accustomed to, and definitely interesting. I often thirst for a similar portrayal of my own country's history, where there were points in time where we weren't so close to the major European cultural strands. This, in a way, satiates that thirst somehow. Or, maybe it's about it just being different and interesting.
The scenery is just beautiful. The mention of the animals, the general way the people live and behave, it doesn't differ all that much from a western point of view. But then there's the huts, the way of life that is definitely very different, the clothings, and the people that do act different when looked at individually. It seems the influence of their god makes them a little bit humbler (and certain) than I'm accustomed to, though that might be a intentional (or forced?) propagandist maneuver to write the support cast that way. I don't know... I hate that I have to think about this, but I can't just turn it off either, seeing as how a lot of islamic authorities and states, even today, with unwavering support from their leaders, theologians and institutions, behead dissidents, hang non-hetero or otherwise different people and all that, a thing I can't in good consciousness simply ignore when a show has these themes.
It's also pretty funny to witness the absolutely unhinged, weird behaviour of the arabic leaders (I think that's what they are, it's hard to tell since the subtitles I found are not perfect exactly). They are written in a even cornier way than the European characters, and it's absolutely ridiculous I have to say, the way they just do the dumbest things because they are evil, without profiting from it or anything, just plain murdering people and smiling orgasmically. But they are hilarious a good way, since I think it's intended to be a comedic relief from the otherwise cheesy, preaching and serious tone of the show. Also, you can not NOT laugh at some of the actors who play the crusaders being regular Turkish shade of tan, but have a hilarious, obviously fake bright blonde wigs, akin to the children's wigs you see in markets, on their head :D Not very convincing, but then again I sympathize that it can be harder to find naturally Scandinavian looking actors who can also speak Turkish. Though most of these background characters never say a word, so I don't know what that's all about.
I mean I'm into it. It's different, it looks visually beautiful, people act in an interesting way (other than the leading cast or the antagonists who are just cheesy) and the actors do a good job, especially in the supporting roles. I also think Turkish (I think that is the language they use?) sounds beautiful to me (a thing I would not have expected to say, having their current dictator's speeches as my only previous exposure to the language). I have to admit that I find a lot of the characters pleasing to the eye as well, especially the very lead character.
I don't necessarily like the cheesiness, and the constant praise of their god (which I understand can be a very accurate portrayal of the time period, so I'm not saying it's a bad thing on its own), but it's entertaining enough.
I suspect it gets better with each season, as shows tend to do, until the one breaking season that falls flat and brings the whole thing down. According to the ratings, this one doesn't seem to have that specific season, so I'm optimistically waiting for what's going to happen.
I'm not completely buying all those 10/10 reviews voted crazily helpful, written by supposedly western reviewers. Influenced partly by those reviews I decided that it might be a good time to finally visit this show, since I had eyed it in the past in intrigue. It's definitely not a straight 10/10 show...
That being said, I'm not even halfway through the first season (these are some long seasons...) and have no intention of stopping as it's certainly interesting. But I had to come and share my thoughts in case someone else from the western sphere is thinking of checking it out and feels equally wary and suspicious of the flood of 10/10 reviews. I will gladly update the score and the review itself if it gets noticeably better (or worse, for that matter).
It's not a bad show at all. The scenery and the props look beautiful, and as for their authenticity in the time period, that I cannot comment. I am not familiar with the history of Middle-East, which is actually precisely one of the reasons why I thought it looked visually so interesting and beautiful -- it's certainly different from the western-centric shows I've been comsuming my entire life.
There's a recurring theme of cheesiness. I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet -- right now everything just feels corny, but the first seasons of any show tend to have that quality to them. Certain shows, like "The Last Kingdom" pull off this style of corny, but most don't make it work at all. There are a couple of sides to it:
Where western-centric historic entertainments seem to traditionally portray the Islamic peoples as the bad guys when there's an arc that has to do with them (usually crusades or something like that), this one doesn't shy away from reversing that dynamic completely and portraying the crusaders as these corny caricatures of evil people that just do evil things, seemingly out of joy or whatever. I find it's appropriate, and completely warranted, and I'm not going to be a hypocrite and act like that is in any way different from what a lot of western productions do. However, I find it equally cheesy when shows like Knightfall do similar things. It's just not really good writing in my opinion, no matter who does the writing. I had kinda hoped that the position of always (well, almost, in recent years there's been a lot of more complex and flattering writing and portrayals) being portrayed with ill intent would've allowed the writers to overcome the trope and be clever about it, but I guess people are the same, no matter where they hail from. And again, I'm not saying it's uncalled for, it definitely is, crusaders were foreign invaders with intent to conquer, kill and plunder, and the material I've read has not painted a very pretty picture about their methods. But it's still boring and dimensionless to watch (although I have to say there are a lot of things that take the focus and make you entertained anyway, but more on them later).
Then on other hand, some of the main (good) characters have so far been nothing short of perfect in terms of skill, mind and morale. Which is a little bland in my opinion. The timing in which some scenarios go down is just downright offensive to someone who's got a little bit accustomed to more complex and forward-looking writing of the recent years. I mean it's not a bad thing per se, it's certainly entertaining to have a classical hero saving the day with his buddies who don't get a scratch and all that, but I guess it feels a little old and musty by now.
I taste a lot of similar flavors here as I did with the "Vikings" show. I'm not sure where those flavors come from, since Vikings actually did a good job of humanizing the opposing forces (and even going as far as openly embracing the "vikings are just plain bad guys" theme!), but I think it has to do with the lead character, and him being charismatic and likable and has an authority and confidence to him. Or maybe it's the way it's filmed and edited, that could be it too. We do get scenes with leaders portraying the other sides of the conflicts, which is kind of similar to what Vikings does. I don't know.
The actor who delivers the lead character is very charismatic and has a very cool air about him. Again, the writers made him cheesily good in all things he does (so far). Also modest and humble... you know, perfect. But on the other hand that does increase the charsima of the character, and the actor does a very good job portraying this. He's a likable character (so far, anyway), and I think the only problem with him is the lackluster fighting choreography (I mean, most of the other actors have very convincing fighting scenes, whereas this dude is kind of laxly strolling around and doesn't have the same weight behind his swings and all that) and the corny writing.
The show shines when we follow this lead dude. It's actually very entertaining and very similar to "The Last Kingdom" that has Uthred, who's almost equally corny honestly. So it's not hindering the show all that much when you put it in perspective.
There's a lot of lovely details that a foreigner like me gets from a show like this. The recurring sayings (often about the islamic faith, but there are some others too) are interesting, even if they feel a little weird and over-the-top to someone who was raised mildly christian and turned atheist by his own accord very early on in life. It seems their god plays a big part in all they do. Which is fine, I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just feels a little weird (partly since I can't judge whether it's faith-backed propaganda or a realistic portrayal of the time).
Also, the clothing, the jewelry, the general visual styles are amazing. It's very different to what I'm accustomed to, and definitely interesting. I often thirst for a similar portrayal of my own country's history, where there were points in time where we weren't so close to the major European cultural strands. This, in a way, satiates that thirst somehow. Or, maybe it's about it just being different and interesting.
The scenery is just beautiful. The mention of the animals, the general way the people live and behave, it doesn't differ all that much from a western point of view. But then there's the huts, the way of life that is definitely very different, the clothings, and the people that do act different when looked at individually. It seems the influence of their god makes them a little bit humbler (and certain) than I'm accustomed to, though that might be a intentional (or forced?) propagandist maneuver to write the support cast that way. I don't know... I hate that I have to think about this, but I can't just turn it off either, seeing as how a lot of islamic authorities and states, even today, with unwavering support from their leaders, theologians and institutions, behead dissidents, hang non-hetero or otherwise different people and all that, a thing I can't in good consciousness simply ignore when a show has these themes.
It's also pretty funny to witness the absolutely unhinged, weird behaviour of the arabic leaders (I think that's what they are, it's hard to tell since the subtitles I found are not perfect exactly). They are written in a even cornier way than the European characters, and it's absolutely ridiculous I have to say, the way they just do the dumbest things because they are evil, without profiting from it or anything, just plain murdering people and smiling orgasmically. But they are hilarious a good way, since I think it's intended to be a comedic relief from the otherwise cheesy, preaching and serious tone of the show. Also, you can not NOT laugh at some of the actors who play the crusaders being regular Turkish shade of tan, but have a hilarious, obviously fake bright blonde wigs, akin to the children's wigs you see in markets, on their head :D Not very convincing, but then again I sympathize that it can be harder to find naturally Scandinavian looking actors who can also speak Turkish. Though most of these background characters never say a word, so I don't know what that's all about.
I mean I'm into it. It's different, it looks visually beautiful, people act in an interesting way (other than the leading cast or the antagonists who are just cheesy) and the actors do a good job, especially in the supporting roles. I also think Turkish (I think that is the language they use?) sounds beautiful to me (a thing I would not have expected to say, having their current dictator's speeches as my only previous exposure to the language). I have to admit that I find a lot of the characters pleasing to the eye as well, especially the very lead character.
I don't necessarily like the cheesiness, and the constant praise of their god (which I understand can be a very accurate portrayal of the time period, so I'm not saying it's a bad thing on its own), but it's entertaining enough.
I suspect it gets better with each season, as shows tend to do, until the one breaking season that falls flat and brings the whole thing down. According to the ratings, this one doesn't seem to have that specific season, so I'm optimistically waiting for what's going to happen.
Historically inaccurate, Uplifting, Amateur childish writing!!!
abahbahani8510 November 2020
Historically inaccurate, Uplifting, Amateur childish writing!!!
For such an important historical and geographical event we the viewers expected some great TV and cinema! Instead Gunay and Bozdag ruined it with a very bad storyline, direction hence production.
For such an important historical and geographical event we the viewers expected some great TV and cinema! Instead Gunay and Bozdag ruined it with a very bad storyline, direction hence production.
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